The LookingGlass
by frcpirate
Summary: Chihiro re-enters the Mahou no Sekai in pursuit of her younger sister. When she returns, lost memories of her childhood resurface with the help of Haku, a solemn river spirit. R&R!
1. The LookingGlass

Child of the clear unclouded brow And dreaming eyes of wonder! Though time be fleet, and I and thou  
Are half a life asunder, Thy lowing smile will surely hail The love-gift of a fairy tale.  
  
I have not seen thy sunny face,  
Nor heard thy silver laughter: No though of me shall find a place  
  
In thy young life's hereafter-  
  
Enough that now thou wilt not fail To listen to my fairy-tale.  
  
A tale begun in other days, When summer suns were glowing- A simple chime that served to time The rhythm of our rowing- Whose echoes live in memory yet, Though envious year would say "forget."  
  
Come, harked then, ere voice of dread,  
With bitter tidings laden, Shall summon to unwilling bed  
A melancholy maiden! We are but older children, dear, Who fret to find our bed time near.  
  
Without the frost, the blinding snow, The storm-wind's moody madness- Within, the firelight's ruddy glow,  
And childhood's nest of gladness. The magic words shall hold thee fast: Thou shalt not heed the raving blast.  
  
And, though the shadow of a sigh May tremble through the story, For "happy summer days" gone by, And vanish'd summer glory- It shall not touch, with breath of bale, The pleasance of our fairy-tale.  
  
The Looking-Glass  
  
Chapter One The Looking-Glass  
  
Chihiro Ogino, a small ten-year-old girl sat in the back seat of her family's car as her parents drove into the driveway of their new house. Her mother was ranting about missing the movers, and her father was retaliating, keeping his eyes on his wife rather than on the road. Chihiro sighed. It was amazing that they could stay on the road at all. Akio Ogino swerved, and narrowly missed a small frog-like statue that was placed at the side of the road. His normally dark skin was red and blotchy and he was gripping the steering wheel of his luxurious car with malice.  
  
Chihiro's father was a neurosurgeon. It was his work that had sparked the family move. He had always dreamed of opening his own practice, and as the opportunity presented itself, he was very inclined to accept it. Chihiro's mother, who had a degree in psychology, wasn't warm to the idea of a new town at first, but she found an office soon enough, and was glad enough to get out of the big city.  
  
Chihiro groaned. Her father was, yet again, leaning over the middle console of the car, his face mere inches from her mother's. Chihiro's mother had a look of indignation on her face and she gasped loudly at her husband's comment, before leaning over and making one of her own. It was a typical day in the Ogino family: the two parents fighting, and Chihiro sitting alone, trying desperately to pretend that she was in no way connected to them. Chihiro cried with joy as she leapt onto the driveway in front of her new garage.  
  
Her house quickly caught her attention. It was large, and stood out like a sore thumb. Chihiro cursed whoever had chosen such a lurid color. The house stood tall and bright royal blue. Chihiro walked up to the red door and pulled the tag off of the doorknob. She turned around. Her parents were still arguing, although they had moved to the front of the car rather than within it. She sighed again. What a way to make a first impression. Chihiro could imagine the neighbors glaring at her parents from the windows. Any time now and the cops would be arresting them for disturbing the peace. Chihiro read the piece of paper she held in her hands. The words looked as if they had been rained on and baked in the sun. They were so pale, that they were almost impossible to make out.  
  
"We're sorry we missed you. The boxes are stacked throughout the first floor. Enjoy your new home - The Movers"  
  
Slowly she turned the doorknob and entered her home. It was large and musty. Her parents hadn't even taken notice that she had gone inside. She walked over to the dark wooden staircase and slowly ascended to the second floor. Sunlight fluttered in through the windows and illuminated the dust floating through the air. She made her way down the hall and entered a room that she was sure was to be hers. It was small, but she was a small girl after all, she could make do. She walked over to her window and looked out. It faced the forest. She rested her chin on her hand for a while, just looking at the rustling trees, wondering what mysteries the forest held.  
  
Chihiro climbed down the stairs and rummaged through the boxes. It took her a while, but she was able to locate her personal belongings and haul them up the stairs. She spent the remainder of the evening putting her room together. She hadn't seen her parents since she had gone in, and the silence assured her that they had stopped quarreling. Wherever they were, she had no idea. She felt her eyelids grow heavy, and she collapsed, asleep, on her bedroom floor.  
  
There were so many people, in front of an ancient-looking building. She crossed a bridge to get to them. They were all smiling broadly at her, beckoning her forward. She ran to them. They grew more and more distant. The bridge stretched on for miles. She kept running until her legs gave out from exhaustion. They were still very distant. She could hear their cries, "Chihiro! Chihiro!" before the scene faded.  
  
"Chihiro!" She heard she soft voice of her mother wake her. She sat up groggily, her neck aching from her spot on the floor. She mumbled something incoherent, and fell, face-first into her mother's chest. She was tired and sore. The moving had given her small muscles a workout.  
  
"Chihiro, honey, its morning. Time for you to get up!" Her father said, sitting atop her bed in the corner of her room. She nodded and sat up.  
  
"Now, dear, your father and I met our new neighbors last night. They have a daughter your age. Go get a shower, and then go and introduce yourself. You have to make a good impression. Your father and I are going to do some unpacking, so, you can spend the day outside, alright?" Her mother spoke kindly, giving her daughter a hug. Chihiro nodded her consent, before curling into a ball on the floor again. Just five more minutes, then I'll be ready to meet any demon child that you want me to, Chihiro thought. Her mother stood her up and marched her into the bathroom and slammed the door.  
  
Chihiro slumped against the bathroom wall. This was turning out to be the worst summer ever. First she had to pack all of her belongings, then she had to move away from her best friend, and now she was in a blue box being forced to meet the monster next door. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and set her hair tie on the counter in front of her. It seemed curious to her that the band that she had pulled out of her hair was different from the one that she had put into it that morning. It was purple and shimmered in the light. Chihiro nervously ran her fingers through her hair. Her fingers caught, though, and she found dark brown chunks all over, coupled with a dark reddish brown powder. Chihiro ran it over her hands. It looked strangely like blood. She checked her head for cuts. If it wasn't her blood, then whose was it? She shrugged it off, hoping that it was some kind of strange dream. She tugged at her shirt and pulled it over her head. Underneath she was wearing some kind of strange blue apron. Across the front of it, it read, 'Aburaya'. Chihiro started breaking out into a cold sweat. Why didn't she remember any of this? What was the blood from, the brown substance? She pulled her shorts off too .All along her arms and legs were giant bruises.  
  
Something was definitely not right.  
  
A sharp tap on the door awakened Chihiro from her thoughts, "Chihiro! I want to hear that water running! Get in that shower now!" She heard her mother calling. She growled under her breath. She definitely wasn't a morning person, and being woken up by her mother, after hours of work the night before was not on her list of things she'd like to do. But, of course, Chihiro had no choice but to comply with her mother's wishes, and she stepped into the steamy water, scrubbing the bits and pieces of gunk from her hair and the dirt from her body.  
  
With her hair still wet, she threw it back into a ponytail using the mysterious purple band and climbed down the steps to the front door. She slipped on her shoes and out the front door. Her parents could be heard, arguing, yet again, in the other room. She dismissed it and went next door.  
  
She crossed the lush lawn and went to the front door of her neighbor's white house. She stopped in front of the oak door and cautiously knocked. She waited. There was no answer. She knocked again. A girl answered the door in a huff.  
  
"Hold your horses! I'm getting it already!" A girl that was no older than Chihiro said as she opened the door, "Hello! You must be the new girl next door. I'm Yatsuda Mika. Nice to meet you!" She said, extending her hand. Chihiro looked at it uncertainly. This girl sure had an attitude. Maybe she was a monster after all.  
  
"Ogino Chihiro." The new girl said, dropping her head into a deep bow. She mechanically reached up for Mika's hand and shook it. Mika looked at Chihiro appraisingly.  
  
"Nice to meet you Chihiro. Now, what would you like to do on our last Saturday before school starts?" Mika smiled. Chihiro faltered.  
  
"I thought we had a few weeks before school starts. Its still the beginning of August, isn't it?" Chihiro was puzzled. Unconsciously she reached up to her hair and tugged at the tie holding it in.  
  
"Ha! That's a joke, right? Monday term starts. We only have two days of summer left. Why don't we go exploring in the forest? That's always fun on a day like today!" Mika said and stepped out of her door.  
  
She was wearing a white t-shirt and blue pants. She had dark, dark brown hair that fell down her waist. She pulled it up into a bun at the top of her head to keep in out of the way. She had dark brown eyes that held a mischievous glint in them. This was going to be an interesting day.  
  
They trekked through the forest, past the neighborhoods, past the trails. Chihiro found herself having a great time, and coming to like Mika more and more. She wasn't as monstrous as Chihiro had imagined her to be at first. She was tough, but she had a wonderful sense of humor.  
  
They came across a rock overgrown with moss. It looked as if it were a frog of some kind. Mika walked passed it, so Chihiro followed. Soon they came to a clearing. There was another stone like the first. Mika walked to the entrance of a large red building and smiled.  
  
"This is where the forest spirits come together. My dad says that humans aren't to go into this tunnel. See that statue? It guards the entrance. I come here all the time, watching for tree spirits, fox spirits, river spirits. I haven't seen one yet." Mika sat off to the side of the road, partially hidden. Chihiro joined her.  
  
"I was here yesterday. There's a beautiful meadow through the tunnel. My dad says it was an abandoned amusement park."  
  
"You actually went through there? Wow! I've tried so many times, but my dad would be really upset if he ever learned about that. You're really lucky! What's it like?" Mika asked, leaning forward slightly.  
  
"Well, there is an enormous meadow with a lot of those statues in it." Chihiro trailed off. There seemed to be more to the story, but she couldn't bring it to the front of her mind. She strained to remember, but she couldn't, "That's about it." She conceded.  
  
"Oh." Mika said, "Well, in any case, now that you're my new best friend, you are now invited to come and spirit watch with me." Mika smiled. Chihiro blushed. It felt good to have a best friend already, and even better to have one that was so close to home. The two girls sat in their hiding place for what seemed like hours, making jokes about spirit meetings until the sky started turning dark.  
  
They walked back a little faster than they walked to the clearing in hopes of getting home before dark. They reached their respective homes right as the last rays of sunshine were peering over the trees. Chihiro waved goodbye to her friend and stepped inside her house. Her parents were at the table talking in low tones, but stopped abruptly as Chihiro approached.  
  
Most of the house was unpacked, and her parents credited it to Mika's parents who came over for the better part of the day, carrying furniture and boxes and the like. Chihiro smiled. For once her parents didn't fight over something, letting them have time to finish a task in a timely manner. Usually it took them weeks just to do simple decorating chores. The family ate dinner in a comfortable silence. Chihiro couldn't help but notice the relaxed and excited atmosphere. Her parents were smiling furtively across the table, and Chihiro thought that maybe her parents weren't her parents after all.  
  
Finally, after all of the dishes and left over foods had been cleared away, Chihiro's parents called her to sit down at the table.  
  
"Chihiro, dear, we have some very important news to tell you." Her mother started.  
  
"We, well, your mother and I, we're going to have a baby." Her father finished. Chihiro paled. They went from wanting to kill each other one minute to being blissfully happy about her mother's pregnancy the next. Chihiro expressed her happiness and went back up to her room. Climbing up the stairs, she heard her mother, who had called her grandmother to tell her of the news, say, "I don't know when it could have happened. It's not like we were trying or anything. It's like a little miracle." Her mom was gushing with happiness. Chihiro sighed.  
  
They were going to have another child, another child that they could ignore and forget; another child that would be witness to all of the arguments, all of the rude behaviors. This child would feel the embarrassment of having parents that argued in public places. Wasn't one enough to suffer through all of that? It was amazing that Chihiro had stayed sane all these years.  
  
Chihiro was lying in bed, contemplating her horrible family life as she drifted off to sleep.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Come on Chihiro! We're going to be late!" Yatsuda Mika yelled to her friend from the foot of her bed. Chihiro looked at her fried and rolled her eyes. She saw the time on her clock and groaned. It was 5:30 in the morning, "Come on! It's our first day of school! We're fourth graders now!" Mika said excitedly.  
  
"Mika, school doesn't start for three hours. And, besides, how did you get in here anyway? The front door's locked." Chihiro said.  
  
"I climbed through your window."  
  
"I live on the second floor!"  
  
"I've always been a natural climber. My mom says it's one of my better talents." Mika said, and then proceeded to wake Chihiro again and again. She grabbed onto her arm. Chihiro winced, "What's wrong, Chi?"  
  
"Oh it's nothing. Just a bruise." Mika rolled up Chihiro's sleeve. A large bruise the size of an apple and black in colour was plastered onto Chihiro's bicep.  
  
"Just a bruise? Where'd you get it?" Mika asked. She apologized over and over for Chihiro's misfortune, and was upset when Chihiro couldn't provide a decent answer to her question. To avoid further interrogation, Chihiro got up, dressed in her school's mandatory uniform and dragged Mika down the stairs. She groaned when she found that her friend had already made her a lunch.  
  
The girls ran out the door and headed to their school. They were two hours early. They found their classroom and sat waiting, patiently. Mika began to read her school textbooks, and Chihiro fell asleep.  
  
She woke to a sharp pain in her forehead. She opened her eyes quickly. A boy, with short, spiky blond hair was giggling at her misfortune. Mika was glaring at him. Chihiro dropped her head behind her folded arms. She began laughing. The boy stopped. Chihiro lifted her head and smiled. He smiled back.  
  
"My name is Momomoya Rei. It's nice to meet you." He said, extending her hand. Chihiro smiled and shook his eagerly.  
  
"Ogino Chihiro." She said.  
  
"Chi and I live next door to each other, Rei." Mika said suggestively.  
  
"Ah, so already I'm replaced. It's a wonder that they found a buyer for that monstrosity. The color was absolutely tasteless."  
  
"Rei here is a genius. He talks like a 30-year-old."  
  
"My father is the CEO of the largest software company in Japan. He's had me in school since I was born." Rei said, grudgingly. It wasn't easy for him that his dad was so rich. And it wasn't his fault he was so smart. His vocabulary had progressed naturally from his childhood.  
  
"My dad's a doctor. I guess my mom is too; at least she's got the degree. She's in psychiatry." Chihiro said, trying to make Rei feel better. Mika frowned.  
  
"My parents don't work." She said.  
  
"Then how do you live in that big house?" Chihiro exclaimed.  
  
"We live off of the interest of the money my grandpa left us when he died. He was some kind of executive." Mika explained.  
  
The teacher walked into the classroom, and there was silence. Rei grabbed a pencil and began taking notes. Mika was still reading her book, not paying attention. Chihiro stared out the window. She thought of her bruises. She thought of the mysterious disappearance of the two weeks before she made it to her house. Time didn't just skip.  
  
A number of things bothered Chihiro about that time period. For one thing, her mother was about a month pregnant. If her time was correct, then her mother had to have been impregnated while the move was happening. It wasn't like her parents were normally on speaking terms. Yelling and screaming terms, yes, but they rarely saw each other besides at dinner and briefly before bed. Her father would go down to his study and work on his computer, and her mother would sit in the family room and read about the latest treatments. Chihiro wasn't stupid, she knew where babies came from, and her parents surely didn't get along well enough to do THAT.  
  
Secondly, there was the matter of the apron and all of the bruises. Chihiro was certain that her parents had never beaten her, and she generally didn't involve herself in any activity that caused harm to her body. She wasn't stupid. She knew when to stop working out.  
  
She thought about her life before she moved to this new town. Before, she was snobby and stuck up. She hated to admit it, but it was true. She was wealthy, and she wasn't ashamed to let everyone know. Now, though, she was a normal, humble girl. She had friends. Real friends. They weren't just people that hung around her for her money. They liked her for her, and no matter how strange they were, no matter their quirks, she loved them for them.  
  
The teacher droned on and on, lulling Chihiro to sleep with his voice.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Chihiro, you really need to lighten up. It's just some old building." Mika said, dangling from a branch of a tree by her legs. They were sitting in front of the red building with the tunnel.  
  
"No, it's not just a tunnel Chihiro. It's the entrance to the Mahou no Sekai. My dad talks about it all of the time. They say that if humans enter it, they disappear from existence." Rei said. He was sitting on top of the branch next to Mika's legs. The three of them had become close, and over the weeks, they had come to spending a great deal of time outside the tunnel.  
  
"You're wrong, Rei. They don't just disappear. They get turned into cows and eaten."  
  
"Pigs."  
  
"What?" Mika said, looking at Chihiro, who was sitting on the grassy ground. Chihiro frowned and furrowed her brow in concentration.  
  
"I'm pretty sure they turn into pigs."  
  
"Chi, have you ever heard the legend of the Mahou no Sekai?" Rei asked politely.  
  
"No, but I don't think it's cows. I can't explain it."  
  
"You know, Rei," Mika started, "I'd believe her. Chihiro's been through the tunnel." Rei went white his jaw dropped, and he was at a loss for words. Chihiro frowned.  
  
"What?" She asked, wondering why her friends were acting so strangely.  
  
"Nobody goes into that tunnel. Everyone knows not to. It's cursed. Only spirits are to enter there. And only the spirits of those who are worthy take the shape of a guardian spirit." Rei said.  
  
"What's a guardian spirit?"  
  
"It's a spirit that is designated to take care of certain things. There are tree spirits, frog spirits, fox spirits, and river spirits. Of course, there are more, all things have a spirit. They're kind of like guardian angels." Mika said. Her voice took on a tone of excitement. Rei rolled his eyes.  
  
"That's the legend, at least. There's no telling if it's really true. It's probably just something that parents tell their children to keep them away from the tunnel." He explained. Chihiro nodded. She had no idea that the people in this town took this tunnel so seriously.  
  
What if it was the entrance to the Mahou no Sekai? Why was it so strange that she, of all people had seen it? If it was a magical world, surely more people would have come into it than just her family. Then she remembered Rei's words. It's cursed. What if she was cursed, then? What if she was doomed to die some horrible death?  
  
No.  
  
She refused to admit it.  
  
This was no more than an old building. It was not the path of her destiny. This was not what she was supposed to be doing with her life.  
  
Rei, Chihiro and Mika watched the entrance to the tunnel eagerly, in hopes that some kind of spirit would emerge. None came. The trio walked away.  
  
Rei and Chihiro were so deep in thought; they never saw the letter Mika propped at the base of the frog statue.  
  
A/N: Hey all! This is the end of the first chapter of The Looking-Glass. Before I talk more, here are a few credits:  
  
The poem I took from Through the Looking Glass. It belongs to Lewis Carroll, and in no way am I trying to steal it from him.  
  
The name Rei comes from Mars, which is a great Manga. If you ever get a chance, please read it. And, again, Mars belongs to Fuyumi Soryo and misc. publishing companies. I'm not trying to steal Rei from her, just his name, which is in true Spirited Away fashion. I'm like Yubaba, only I give credit to those that created it! Er. that's something to be proud of, ain't it?  
  
Rei's last name comes from the Manga/Anime Tokyo Mew Mew. This one is also very cute. If you like Sailor Moon, read it. Anyway, the main character's last name is Momomoya. Her first name's Ichigo, but I didn't steal that one so it's not important.  
  
A disclaimer: The characters and magical lands involved in this story do not belong to me. They belong to Hayao Miyazaki. The plot, however, does belong to me, and I would appreciate it if you would contact me before taking parts of it for your own.  
  
Alright, that about sums up all of the legal and 'if you're interested in where this comes from' stuff. I hope you liked it. I'll keep writing, the next chapter shouldn't be out long from now.  
  
Please read and review! Comments, questions, and constructive criticism are appreciated.  
  
Love Angel 


	2. Fragrance

Yukisaki sae mo mitsukerarenakute  
  
Kaze ni kiesou na kioku o  
  
Hosoi it de yukkuri to hikiyoseru  
  
Zawameku kokoro no koe ni mimi o sumashi  
  
"Ittai nanno tame ni  
  
Umaretekita no ka."  
  
Sou, toikaketa  
  
Tsuki wa kawarazu boku o mitsume  
  
Ima wa mada kotaete wa kurenai  
  
Kikasete okure yo  
  
Sono koe o.  
  
Misete okure yo  
  
Sono yume o.  
  
Samenu nemuri ni ochite mo  
  
Obieru koto wa nai kara  
  
Oshiete okure yo  
  
Shinjitsu o.  
  
Sagete okure yo  
  
Sono tsumi o.  
  
Akai namida ni nureteiru  
  
Kakusareta kono sugata o.  
  
Tada itoshisa dake ga ookiku naru  
  
Kako no namae sae  
  
Omoidasenai mama na no ni  
  
Mou dou ni mo dekinakute  
  
Tsuki wa kawarazu shizuka na mama de  
  
Ame o furasetsuzuketa.  
  
The Looking-Glass Chapter 2 Fragrance  
  
"Chi! Chi!" A small voice yelled to Chihiro. She swatted it away, hoping it would stop. Chimes of 'Chi!' could be heard over and over again. Chihiro groaned in frustration.  
  
"'Kari! If you don't leave me alone this second, I am going to lock you out!" Chihiro yelled. The little girl laughed. She was sitting on Chihiro's bed, her long brown hair falling into her deep chestnut eyes. Chihiro couldn't help but smile. Hikari, her little sister, was essentially her best friend. They did a lot of things together because their parents were always out working or socializing with other adults.  
  
"Happy to you, Chi!" Hikari said and hugged her sister. So that's what this was about, Chihiro thought. Hikari was wishing her a happy birthday. April 19. Chihiro was sixteen years old. That would make Hikari six. She was growing older faster than Chihiro could imagine, and she was sorry to see it happen. She was sorry that her parents were missing it.  
  
She thought of the day Hikari was born.  
  
Chihiro was sleeping in her bed, as she always was. She was snuggled up into her blankets, and perfectly content, dreaming of magic bathhouses, and giant six armed men. That man was leaning over her with a worried look on his face. Chihiro looked down and saw a boy, lying bloody on the floor. She looked at her hands. They were covered in blood as well. She gasped in horror. She couldn't breathe. Something was choking her!  
  
She sat up in her bed and gasped for breath. She heard the insane giggling of Mika coming from her floor. She pulled the tissue paper out of her nose and glared at her friend, "What is the meaning of this, Yatsuda?" Chihiro said in a voice that would make even her schoolteacher blush. Mika giggled.  
  
"Happy eleventh birthday, Chihiro." She said. Chihiro smiled. At least Mika woke her up for a valid reason.  
  
"Thanks, Mika." She said, "But how did you get in here? Don't tell me you climbed in through the window again." Mika smiled and shook her head.  
  
"No silly, I came in through the front door. Rei's here, too, although he wouldn't come up into your room. He's waiting in the kitchen." Mika took Chihiro's hand and dragged her out of her bed and down the stairs to the kitchen table. Rei smiled and looked up from rather thick novel.  
  
"Where're my mom and dad? Have you seen them?" Chihiro asked, looking through the first floor for them. At this time in her pregnancy, her mother was hard to miss.  
  
"Yes, we saw them when they left." Rei replied. Chihiro's face flushed.  
  
"You mean they didn't have the decency to wish me a happy birthday? What kind of parents are they?"  
  
"The kind that are at the hospital having a baby right now." Mika said, "They left you a note over on the counter. It says, 'Chihiro, have a happy eleventh birthday. Have fun with your friends, and we'll see you when we bring home the baby. Love you, Mom and Dad.' You know, Chihiro, they may neglect you, but they're still your parents. You can't choose your family." Mika said. Chihiro calmed down a little and grabbed the note from Mika. Some birthday present, she thought. Her parents would definitely think it was so.  
  
Chihiro slumped into the oversized kitchen chair and rested her head in her arms. The thought about all that had happened today. Her parents were having a baby, she was home alone, and then there were the dreams-The dreams! She had completely forgotten about that dream. It wasn't the first time that she had had one with that boy in it. What had happened to him that he was bleeding so much? He must have been hurt badly. Chihiro unconsciously tugged at the pendant around her neck.  
  
Mika had taken it upon herself to send a message of sorts to the Mahou no Sekai. She wrote letters, and sent candies and trinkets to the spirits. Once, however, one of them left something for her. They were three small stones, shaped like guitar picks. They were periwinkle in color, and cool to the touch. Mika loved them so much that she had her father put them on chains.  
  
Later on, after the necklaces were already made, and Chihiro, Rei, and Mika each had one, Mika showed her friends the letter that came with it.  
  
"See here? It says, 'Given in kindness, and for your protection. Keep them with you always, and harm shall never befall you.' It was signed by Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. Hmm. weird name."  
  
"Sounds like a name of a god." Rei said. Chihiro was the only one feeling apprehensive about these gifts. They were lovely stones, and they seemed harmless, but this Nigihayami character seemed a little shifty to her. Nevertheless, she took the pendant for her friend and swore to wear it always as a token of friendship.  
  
* * * * * * * * Chihiro was pulled from her reverie with a slap to her face. She glared at her little sister, but smiled slightly when Hikari giggled. Chihiro remembered when her parents named their daughter. Hikari. It means light. Hikari was their little ray of sunshine. Chihiro thought that they were right. She was sunshine. She was happy, and pretty, and smart.  
  
"Alright, 'Kari. I have to go to school now. I'll be at your school to pick you up at three-thirty okay? Then we'll go to singing lessons together." Hikari nodded enthusiastically. Chihiro quickly readied herself for school and headed over to Mika's house.  
  
Mika had grown taller and filled out, as every sixteen-year-old girl does. She changed her hair color every so often, and at this point in time it was a light brown. Chihiro, however, stayed shorter, but she had a woman's body. Her hair was dark as ever, and her eyes had changed to be an almost black color. They were beautiful, they were popular, and they could sing. It was always a dream of theirs to grow old and sing music together, although they had very different music tastes. Mika was very into pop music, while Chihiro couldn't resist the throbbing pulse of an electric guitar.  
  
Rei and Mika had been dating for over two years now. Chihiro was happy for them, but couldn't help but feel depressed when she was alone. She had no one herself, and it was upsetting to her that she didn't feel comfortable with any of the boys at her school. She had been asked out on dates before, of course, but she never accepted. She had the strangest feeling that she was supposed to wait for someone.  
  
The three friends were in their third year of middle school and were constantly kept busy with club activities. Chihiro and Mika were involved in the school choir, and Rei was the student body president. Even with all of their duties, they always found time for each other, and they usually spent it at the entrance to the Mahou no Sekai.  
  
"Happy birthday, Chi!" Rei and Mika chimed when they entered their classroom. Chihiro went red when people wishing her well bombarded her. Eventually she made her way to the back of the classroom where Mika was grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"It's not funny, Mika." Chihiro grumbled.  
  
"Of course it is. This is the one day of the year in which I get to torment you, and I will take the chance every time. Oh! Hey, you do remember that today is the day that agent comes in to the Choir class today, right? You ready?"  
  
"That was today? I had no idea. Now I'm nervous. Good job!" Chihiro said and them threw up her hands in defeat. Rei joined them in their desks and the class began.  
  
The day went by slowly for Chihiro, and her apprehension mounted throughout. This was the day she had been waiting for. Today she would see if she had the talent to make it big. She was sixteen now, in her third year of Middle School. High School was optional. If she, by some odd chance, pleased the agent, he might sign her and she would be a star. She'd be like all of the people on TV. She wouldn't be ignored, she wouldn't be put in the shadows, and her parents would love her for it.  
  
When the time came, she dragged herself into the music room and slouched in a chair. She was ready to vomit, but she wouldn't admit that to anyone else. Mika popped up behind her. She looked perfectly composed, and Chihiro hated that. All of the other students soon flowed in, and it was in no time that they were underway. The girls and boys went into the adjoining office one by one, alphabetically. Chihiro prepared herself for the worst.  
  
"Ogino Chihiro." Her music direction called. She stood up quickly and rigidly. Her face paled. She walked in with as much composure as she could muster and sat down as gently as she could. The agent looked at her and smiled.  
  
"That nervous, are you? Well, this must be a big deal for you, then. My name is Furuhata Koji; I represent the largest record label in Japan. We're here to pick the best artist this school has to offer. Please, show me you stuff." He said. Chihiro smiled weakly. She stood up, and sang with as much strength as she could muster  
  
"Yukisaki sae mo mitsukerarenakute Kaze ni kiesou na kioku o Hosoi ito de yukkuri to hikiyoseru  
  
Zawameku kokoro no koe ni mimi o sumashi 'Ittai nanno tame ni Umaretekita no ka.'"  
  
She stopped. She was only to sing a few lines, because there were so many students. Her voice was clear and full of passion. Koji was smiling slightly and Chihiro hoped it was a good sign.  
  
"Thank you, Miss Ogino. That was a pleasant experience. Now, please excuse me, I have other students to attend to. We will call you if you are chosen. Thank you." Chihiro gulped. He seemed so interested before, why did he all of the sudden change his mind? She got up and walked out.  
  
"So, how did it go, Chi?" Mika asked impatiently. Chihiro shrugged. The director bustled up to the two girls.  
  
"Ogino. You stay after class with me." She said sternly. Chihiro swallowed hard. What had she done? Mika looked at Chihiro and smiled halfway, her face full of pity. Chihiro brushed it off and leaned back in her chair. Mika was called into the room. She was the last student. Chihiro silently wished that Mika were luckier than she was.  
  
Mika came out smiling brightly, exclaiming about how the man loved her, and how she was sure to be the one picked. Chihiro smiled and congratulated her friend, secretly feeling her dreams shatter to a thousand pieces. She excused herself and knocked on the door to her teacher's office.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" She asked.  
  
"Ogino Chihiro." Koji said, his voice full of mirth, "Have a seat, please."  
  
"Chihiro, Koji here has something to talk to you about. I've got another meeting, but I'm sure you'll be pleased with what he has to say." With that said the teacher was gone.  
  
"Miss Ogino, your voice is magnificent. I would be honored if you would please consider signing a contract with my record company." The man said, producing a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket. Chihiro was stunned. He was so rude before, so eager to get rid of her. She didn't understand.  
  
"I'd like to take it home with me, sir, if you don't mind." She said. He nodded and handed the paper to her. She smiled and took it from him. He also included a business card for her to reach him at, "Thank you very much for this opportunity." Chihiro said, bowed and left.  
  
She had to sprint to make it to Hikari's school on time. The little girl was sitting on the front steps staring ants when her elder sister showed up, red and out of breath.  
  
"Am I late?" Chihiro asked.  
  
"No. I left my classroom early. I think that Rei's a better teacher, anyway." Hikari said.  
  
"So, 'Kari, how was your very first day being a six year old?" Chihiro asked. Hikari shrugged.  
  
"It would be better with ice cream." She said. Chihiro laughed.  
  
"Why don't we skip voice lessons today and go and get some snacks? We're older today after all, and we've go t to celebrate." Chihiro and Hikari walked along the roads of their small town until they came to a small ice cream shop. Hikari was happy, and Chihiro was ecstatic. It was the best sixteenth birthday that any girl could have asked for.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Chihiro was sitting at the table with her parents, the contract between them. They were fighting again, and Chihiro had to clear her throat to get their attention. Yuuko and Akio looked at their daughter and said at the same time, "No." Chihiro dropped her jaw.  
  
"Honey, we know this means a lot to you, and we know you've been taking all of those lessons, but your education comes first. You have to think about your future." Her mother said.  
  
"Mom, if you just sign this contract, I'm worth more than both of you combined! All four of us could survive forever on my salary! It is my future I'm thinking of!" She yelled.  
  
"Dear, you have to go to high school, and you have to go to college. You must get your doctorate, and then we'll talk about singing." Her father said. Chihiro had had enough. She snatched up her contract and ran up the stairs. She didn't want her parents to see her upset over something such as this. She forced herself to lie down in bed, and sleep it off.  
  
* * * * * * * * * It had been weeks since Chihiro had fought with her parents, and her choir professor kept asking her when she was going to turn it in. Chihiro didn't have the heart to tell her that she didn't get to have it signed, and she wasn't too keen on the idea that she was passing up such an awesome opportunity. She was in denial, yes, and she knew it.  
  
Mika was still sure that she was going to get a call everyday, and Chihiro hadn't told anyone that she was already offered the position. She didn't have the heart to burst Mika's bubble. Chihiro wasn't the best student, and she wasn't the prettiest girl in school. Mika was. Chihiro was glad that she had beaten her friend at something, but she felt upset that she couldn't even tell Mika the truth.  
  
One bright, cheerful and yet cold Sunday morning, Chihiro got out of bed, pulled off her clothing and slipped into the shower. She dried herself off with a towel and then walked back into her room wearing her favorite sweats. She stopped. Mika was reading the contract. She looked at Chihiro, shock written all over her pretty face.  
  
"What's this, Chihiro?" She asked.  
  
"It's a contract, you know, for the record label." Chihiro said, trying to stand her ground. Mika was twirling her stone necklace around her finger impatiently.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me? You let me ramble on and on and on about that! You could have told me that you already got it! Now I look like a fool!" Mika yelled standing up and pointing angrily at Chihiro.  
  
"I didn't tell you because I'm not using it! My parents won't let me! I have to be their stupid drone, I have to be perfect." Mika threw her necklace to the floor.  
  
"I just don't understand how you could lie to me like that. We've been friends for six years, and you've probably lied to me the whole time. Have you really been through that tunnel, Chihiro? Have you really lost all of that time, or were you just trying to make up a story to make friends."  
  
"You have no right to ask me those questions, Yatsuda. Leave. I don't want to talk to you any longer!" Chihiro yelled. Mika ran out of the house.  
  
If only Chihiro knew that this would be the last time she saw her friend alive.  
  
Later that night she was walking to the entrance of the Mahou no Sekai, when she found the cold body of her best friend.  
  
Things would never be the same again.  
  
Chihiro, for the first time in a long time, broke down and cried.  
  
A/N: Wow. What a lovely chapter, eh? I'm so sorry that it took so long to get it up. I accidentally thought that the next chapter was going to go here, but, hey, I was wrong, so I had to fill in the hole.  
  
I'd like to thank the... er. two people who review, I really appreciate it. IF I could get more, it would be lovely. I always love constructive criticism. And, if you all were wondering, yes, I do have the entire story planned out, and yes, I do plan on finishing it, so your reading is not in vain, trust me.  
  
A few disclaimers: The name Hikari I stole from the Fushigi Yuugi OVA Eikoden. A must see for all you Miaka/Tamahome fans out there.  
  
The song comes from Gackt (Man I love him!). It is called Fragrance, and its on him Moon album. The melody probably wouldn't fit in the audition scene, but the translation does so I used it. In fact, from now on I'll be using Gackt-san's songs for my poem at the beginning of chapters.  
  
Translation goes as follows:  
  
Fragrance  
  
I can't even figure out where I'm headed  
  
Fading memory is slowly drawn  
  
Towards the wind by a slender thread  
  
I listen closely to the voice of my troubled heart  
  
"What in the world  
  
Was I born to do."  
  
Yes, it's asking  
  
The moon is always gazing at me  
  
Even now, the answer had yet to come  
  
Please let me hear  
  
The voice.  
  
Please show me  
  
The dream.  
  
Because even if I fall into unending sleep  
  
There's nothing to be afraid of  
  
Please teach me  
  
The truth.  
  
Please tell me  
  
The crime.  
  
As my hidden self is  
  
Wet with red tears.  
  
Only affection is becoming greater  
  
I can't remember anything  
  
Not even the name of the past  
  
I can't do anything anymore  
  
The moon is always, quietly,  
  
Letting the rain keep falling.  
  
I suggest you read the lyrics; they tie in with the story and chapter very well. They explain some of what Chihiro's thinking.  
  
I also don't own Spirited Away. Remember that always, okay?  
  
Until next time,  
  
SLA 


	3. Maria

Sabitsuita kyoukai no Maria ni inori sasage  
  
Hikari mo ubawarete furueru koto mo yurusarenai mama  
  
Hitomi o tojiro koto sae wasureteshimatta shounen wa  
  
Tekubi no tsumi no ato o kakushitsuketeiru  
  
Kuchiteyuku hahaoya no nakigara ni tsubuyakitsuzuke  
  
Te ni shita hanataba mo kako no sugata o nakushiteshimatte  
  
Tanashii sono menazashi wa kegare no nai shoujo no mama  
  
Kawaranai jikan dake o mitsumeteiru  
  
"Itami nado nai kara. mou nakanaide."  
  
"Yasuragi ga hoshii nara. nozomi toori ni kanaeteageru kara."  
  
"Kowaku wa nai kara. soba ni oide"  
  
"Kegare nado nai mama. kimi no subete o ubatteageru kara."  
  
Ima wa dare ni no kimi dake wa sukuenai kara  
  
Saa me o tojite  
  
"Itami nada nai kara. mou nakanaide."  
  
"Yasuragi ga hoshii nara. nozomi toori ni kanaeteageru kara."  
  
"Kowaku wa nai kara. soba ni oide."  
  
"Kegare nado nai mama. yasashiku nemuri ni tsukeba ii"  
  
"Yarushiku wa nai kara. mou nakanaide."  
  
"Nigerare wa shinai kara. kimi no subete o yurushiteageru kara."  
  
"Owari nai kara. soba ni oide."  
  
"Kegare nado nai mama. kimi no subete o ubatteageru kara."  
  
Boku ga itsumademo kimi no koto wasurenai kara  
  
Saa me o tojite  
  
The Looking-Glass  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Maria  
  
They said it was hypothermia. She had gotten too cold, was without a jacket, and froze to death. It was April, and the sun was particularly bright on that day. Somehow Chihiro didn't think the story fit together quite right.  
  
Chihiro stared at the grave in front of her with eyes full of tears. She had her arm linked through Rei's and he was openly sobbing. She didn't know what to do. How could she help Rei when she couldn't help herself?  
  
She had driven to the small cemetery herself, in her brand new Toyota Echo, a birthday present from her parents. When she got out of the car she saw Rei kneeling at the top of the hill, crying. Slowly she climbed through the wrought-iron gates and walked up the steep incline. A small shelf was carved into the hill, and that was where the grave was.  
  
Chihiro looked at Rei. His tears were beginning to dry, and he smiled weakly at Chihiro. She grabbed him into a hug. He nodded his head, as if he had come to a decision. He gathered himself, gave the gravestone one last look, and left. Chihiro was alone now, and she felt that way. It was a horrible feeling to lose someone, especially when that person was your very best friend.  
  
"Hey, Mika. How're you doing?" Chihiro started, knowing full well that her friend couldn't answer, "Rei's been really torn up about this. But, I guess you already knew that, didn't you? If only you could see him, now Mika. He's a wreck. But don't worry; I'll keep him on track with him studies. He's going to high school next year. He's in class A, at the top of his year. His parents are really proud of him. They miss you too, you know." Chihiro closed her eyes and blinked some of the tears away. She remembered how happy Mika had been when Rei finally asked her out.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Chi! Guess what! Rei asked me to the school dance next Saturday! Can you believe it? I'm so excited!" Mika exclaimed happily. Chihiro smiled at her friend. It was good to see Mika and Rei together. They had known one another since childhood and they had always been friends. Mika was so happy that Chihiro couldn't help but be happy too.  
  
But she had this nagging feeling in her heart. Her best friend, her very best friend was in love. Chihiro tried not to feel too upset. She herself had never felt what love was. Whenever someone asked her to a dance, or out on a date, Chihiro always declined. It just didn't seem right for her to be dating right now. She was waiting for the right man to come along. That, however, could take a really long time for all she knew.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"I had never seen you so happy. I had to admit, Mika, that I was jealous. I knew that Rei loved you with all of his heart. I wanted that so much. I should have been happier for you. I'm so sorry." Chihiro dropped to her knees and clutched her face in her hands, "I know I was only fourteen, but I could see it, Mika. I knew it was going to last." Chihiro looked near Mika's headstone. The earth was still brown and loose from the burial service that had taken place only days before. A small velvety box was there, sitting placidly atop the mounds of dirt, "He really did want to marry you." She said. She gathered up the box and placed it in her pocket. Nobody could steal this from them. She would have to take it to Rei later and talk some sense into him.  
  
"You know, Hikari misses you. She thought of you as a third mother. I always wondered why. She's already got two, what did she need you for? I guess I was jealous, that's all. Now that you're gone, I've got nobody left save Hikari and Rei. But I guess that's the way it is then." Chihiro looked from side to side. Then she looked slowly to the ground and hung her head.  
  
"Look, Mika. I guess you know what I'm really here for. I miss you. I miss you so much that it hurts to look out the window toward your house. I miss you so much that I can't look 'Kari or Rei in the face anymore. I can't feel anything. Right now there's rain everywhere, and I can't feel it. I'm so sorry that we fought before it happened. I can't help but take fault in it. Why did you have to go? You taught me so much. You taught me that it was okay to not like my parents. You taught me that it was okay to not always be protective of Hikari. I love you Mika. I don't want to lose you."  
  
Chihiro looked up to the sky and cried. Tears fell down her face, and mingled with the rain. Even the heavens were crying for Mika, and that in itself satisfied her. She couldn't help but be comforted by the rain.  
  
She stood there a while, taking in the pain, the sadness and trying to replace it with good feelings. But nothing could help her. The spirits had taken Mika away, and she found no solace in happiness.  
  
The wind whipped about her face. The rain clashed onto her hair. Suddenly the storm wasn't as comforting as before. She pulled something out of her pocket and clenched it in her fist.  
  
She had one more stop to make. She trudged down the hill, entered her car, and drove to the entrance to the Mahou no Sekai. She stopped right in front of the frog statue. She got out of her car and took a deep breath.  
  
"What did you do to her? I know you did it, Nigihayami! You took her away from me! Are you happy now? You've got her! But you're not getting Rei, and me too. I won't let you." She screamed at the top of her lungs. She dropped to her knees and braced herself on her arms. She panted and panted, willing the tears not to come.  
  
Someone touched her slightly on the shoulder. She looked behind her. Mika was smiling slightly. She winked before disappearing. Chihiro couldn't hold the tears back any longer. She ran to the entrance of the tunnel and threw two of the three dragon scales into it. She cried openly, crouching on the rain-soaked ground. She looked up slightly and whispered, "Mika was a good person. You took her from this world. I can never forgive that. She was a good person. She was a good person. She should be living in the meadow through that tunnel now. At least give her that, please god." Chihiro clasped her hands together and faced her head skyward. She prayed for peace. She prayed that Mika's soul was safe, and that she was happy.  
  
She slowly got up and stepped back into her car.  
  
This would be the last time that she would come into this forest.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Hikari sat with her arms folded across her stomach. She felt sick. Chihiro had come home and locked herself in her room. It had been two full days, and Chihiro hadn't made a sound. Hikari walked down the steps to the ground level floor of the house and leaned her face on the wooden railing. Her parents were deep in conversation.  
  
"I can get Dr. Johnson, that American woman to see her. I could talk to her about the circumstances when I go into the office today." Yuuko Ogino said to her husband in a concerned voice.  
  
"She'll never agree to it. Chihiro's too strong-minded. And when she hears about the Momomoya boy. I can only imagine how she'll take it."  
  
Hikari strained to hear what her parents had said. They were talking about Rei. What had happened to him? She dashed up the stairs and began pounding on Chihiro's door. She kept at it, mercilessly hammering until it was answered. Chihiro cracked the door, one bloodshot brown eye glistening with tears. Hikari slowly stepped in.  
  
"Chi, something's happened to Rei." Hikari said, getting straight to the point. Chihiro ignored her. She pulled an elastic band out of her hair and grabbed Hikari's hand. She pulled her younger sister to the bed and began to brush her hair. Hikari shifted uneasily. Chihiro pulled Hikari's hair into a high ponytail and tied it with the band.  
  
"Kari, I want you to have this. It'll protect you when I am not around. You want to hear the story?" Chihiro said kindly. Hikari nodded apprehensively, "When we were moving to this town. Back when mom was just pregnant with you, we went into a deep, red tunnel. There were meadows and fields, and butterflies everywhere. It was gorgeous. I still dream about it sometimes. Anyway, when we came out and moved into our new house, mom and dad were fighting, so I went upstairs alone. That's when they met the Yatsuda's. The next day I met Mika," Chihiro's voice cracked a bit, "We were best friends from that day forward. She told me that we had been gone a whole month. Something happened, Kari. When I went into that tunnel I didn't have that hair tie. I must have found it in there. I don't want to lose you; you're all I've got left. I know, somehow, that this will protect you. Please, wear it. For me."  
  
Hikari nodded solemnly. Chihiro stood up and grabbed a jacket. It was raining again, and she had to make a trip to Rei's house.  
  
She drove as fast as she could to the Momomoya residence, knowing that she'd be too late. In front of the house was a moving truck. Chihiro's heart sank. Where was Rei? She had to tell him to stop. She ran through the giant house and finally found his father.  
  
"Mr. Momomoya, where is Rei? I have to talk to him." Chihiro said. The man's face dropped.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Ogino. Rei was found dead outside the tunnel in the forest two days ago. They said it was suicide. He and Mika were dating, do you know anything that might have happened to make him do it?" Chihiro's hands clenched against the small velvety box.  
  
"No sir. Rei would not have done it. He valued his family, his friends, too much."  
  
"His wrists were slit, Chihiro. He left you something up in his room. You can go up there and check it out. I made sure that nobody was to touch it until you came to see it." His father said. His face was sunken in. He, one of the richest men in all of Japan, was looking so fragile and weak, that a gentle breeze could have destroyed him.  
  
Chihiro climbed the dark cherry wood steps to the second floor of the house and walked into Rei's immaculate room. She stared at it for a moment and crossed her arms over her stomach. This was all happening too fast. Rei couldn't just do this to her. He wasn't the type. She fell to the floor, her body racked with sobs. She crawled to the bed and rested her face on his comforter. She touched something crisp. It was an envelope. She was almost afraid of what it said.  
  
Dearest Chi,  
  
By the time you get this I will already be gone. Don't worry, I haven't hurt myself, but I can't live without her. You know that I can't. I have gone into the tunnel to try and meet her. She was a good person. Surely she became a guardian spirit. If she did not, then there is not much hope for the rest of us, is there?  
  
I want you to promise me something, Chihiro. Promise that you will get that contract signed and that you'll sing for us. We'll be able to hear you, wherever we are. Secondly, take my stone necklace. Don't get rid of it like you did the others. Treasure this one. It is a gift from me to you. My parting gift.  
  
I know that you will find your place among the spirits. They'll love you.  
  
I miss you already. Please stay safe.  
  
Give Hikari my best regards, and tell her to keep on top of her studies. She's quite the little genius. We might have a little me running around someday.  
  
Goodbye, Chihiro.  
  
Rei.  
  
Chihiro smiled in spite of herself. He didn't kill himself. She knew it. He went into that tunnel. Maybe he was cursed, just like they said he would be in all of the stories. Chihiro grasped the stone pendant in her hand, and silently agreed to promise Rei that she'd use it. She herself had just made a deal with Hikari.  
  
She climbed down the stairs and gave Mr. Momomoya a brief hug. She looked at him and said quietly, "Please, bury him next to Mika. They belonged together. They loved each other so much, at least let them be together in death." The man smiled and agreed. Chihiro turned to leave, but not before handing him the letter that Rei had written her.  
  
His father had a right to know that his son hadn't killed himself. After all, Mika didn't die of hypothermia, did she? Chihiro knew that. Nobody knew what had happened, so they made an excuse. It was normal everyday human behavior. Chihiro didn't want to understand that, but she knew that there was more involved. There was some kind of involvement that was stronger than even she could imagine.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chihiro drove from the Momomoya Manor in an overly depressed state of mind. She had Hikari now, and nobody else. The sky was reddening and the sun was sinking behind the mountains. Chihiro held back a sob.  
  
She couldn't go to high school now. Not without either Rei or Mika there. It would feel too lonely, too empty. She would stay at home, and rot away, wallowing in her own depression, until death took her as well. Maybe that was the answer. Maybe she should just follow Mika and Rei into the tunnel. Maybe she could find them in the meadow and they could lounge in the sun and remember the good times.  
  
She pulled into her driveway, and her house was dark, excepting the dim glow that came from the kitchen area. Chihiro figured that it was just her parents, leaving a light on after they had gone to bed. She was surprised to find them sitting at the table, waiting for her to walk through the door.  
  
"Chihiro, honey, we need to talk to you." Her father said. His face was solemn, and Chihiro quickly dried her tears so they could not see evidence of her turmoil. She walked meekly to the table and sat across her mother, who was next to her father.  
  
"Darling, your father and I have discussed it, and we believe that your behavior within the last few days has been more than a little abnormal." Yuuko, her mother, started, "Now, we know you've been a little upset, but the new term starts soon, and you have to be thinking about your grades. You have to be thinking about your future."  
  
"Of course my behavior's been a little more than abnormal! I've buried my two best friends in a matter of a week! I loved them, they were my family, and now you're telling me just to get over it? Just to move on and forget that it ever happened? I'm sorry I can't do that." Chihiro got up, "and I am not going to that damned high school either. I'll stay home. I can't face that place." She turned to climb up the staircase.  
  
"Chihiro, you can't just quit. Now, your mother and I have asked Dr. Johnson, the woman doctor at your mom's practice to take a few sessions with you. She'll see you every Tuesday and Thursday after school." Akio said sternly daring his daughter to cross him. She was more than happy to oblige him.  
  
"No. I can quit. And I am going to. And as soon as I have enough money I am moving out of this godforsaken heap of garbage." She said and climbed halfway up the stairs. She was about to add in a burst of extra speed when she came up with a brilliant plan. She stopped and walked backward to the ground floor. She walked across the living room to where her parents were sitting, looking at her with their mouths wide open, "You want me to see that doctor of yours? I will go and be psychoanalyzed, probed, or filled with any kind of your mental health babble if you do one thing for me."  
  
"What's that?" They asked in unison.  
  
"Sign my contract, and let me sing. I want to sing for Mika and Rei. If I can become a great artist, maybe they'll hear my voice. They're not too far from here after all."  
  
Her parents reluctantly agreed, and Chihiro was on cloud nine.  
  
She was going to fulfill her dream, and she didn't have to go to school to do it.  
  
A/N: Ahh! Another chapter done. I didn't know when to stop it, so I kinda just did it there. I don't think I stole any names this time. It was tempting, though. Really tempting. I almost took the name for the agent last time. but I stopped myself!  
  
I'm sorry it took so long. In Arizona right now (for that is where I live) there are a lot of storms. Our electricity keeps going out. I haven't been able to get on the computer for about a week. This has actually been done, but I couldn't get online. I'm working on the next chapter now, so I hope it will be out soon! Sorry for the inconvenience. Also, I apologize if some of you don't like all of the death. But, I beg you, just keep reading. It won't be so bad for long. I love y'all for reading! Please Review and tell me what you think and if you have any suggestions, I would be glad to take them into consideration.  
  
Lyrics for the song Maria (written and performed, of course, by the lovely Gackt-san) are not mine, and I promise I'm not stealing them.  
  
I would read the lyrics so you can get an insight. They mostly apply to Rei this time. The words of the song really convey what he would be feeling at a time like this. Of course, I look at them from a completely dismal point of view. When I think "There now, close your eyes," I think 'Oh goodness! They've just killed him!" But, yeah, that's just the way it works I guess! ^-^ Next chapter coming soon! I'd like to thank all of those who review! I love you all! Keep it up! I love to hear from each and every one of you!  
  
Maria  
  
At a church's rusted Maria, offer up a prayer  
  
The trembling that even seals away the light will not be forgiven  
  
Even if you close your eyes, the completely forgotten boy  
  
Will continue concealing traces of his sin on his wrists  
  
Keep whispering to your mother's rotting corpse  
  
And lose the bouquet that you're holding and your past form  
  
That gentle look is like that of an innocent girl  
  
Only looking at the unchanging time  
  
"There is no pain.. Don't cry anymore.."  
  
"If you want peace.. I'll grant it as you wished.."  
  
"There is no fear.. Come close.."  
  
"So that you can be untainted.. I'll take it all away from you.."  
  
Now there is no one else that can save you  
  
There now, close your eyes  
  
"There is no pain.. Don't cry anymore.."  
  
"If you want peace.. I'll grant it as you wished.."  
  
"There is no fear.. Come close.."  
  
"So that you can be untainted.. Gently go to sleep here.."  
  
"There is no anguish.. Don't cry anymore.."  
  
"Don't run away.. I'll forgive you for everything.."  
  
"So that you can be untainted.. I'll take it all away from you.."  
  
I'll never forget about you  
  
There now, close your eyes 


	4. U K

"I can't sleep."  
  
"Why do you think that is?"  
  
"Because I keep seeing him."  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"He's a spirit."  
  
"How do you know he's a spirit, Chihiro? What does he tell you?"  
  
"It's just one of those things you know. It seems like I have met him before, but I don't know where. He tells me that I don't need to cry anymore. That he'll take care of me. He tells me that he watches over me like I watch over Hikari."  
  
"How do you watch your sister?"  
  
"I take her everywhere with me. We do everything together. I want to be close before I have to go on tour. My parents don't do anything with either of us. It was a miracle that Hikari was even conceived. They can't stop fighting."  
  
"Chihiro, your parents try to do as much as they can for you and your sister. They work hard, they put food on the table, and they love you. What more could you want?"  
  
"They don't do anything but argue! They have ignored me since I was eight years old! They never took care of Hikari! I had to do it! My friends helped! All I have left is Hikari, and I'm not letting anyone take her from me." Chihiro said, her voice rising, "I am not going to take anymore if this. You can't help me. I don't have a problem. You want to find the real issue? Look for my mom and dad, they'll be at their house."  
  
"Don't you mean your house?"  
  
"No. I moved out." Chihiro said and then walked to the door. She opened it in one movement and left the doctor's office for good.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"dakara..  
  
nanimo iwanai de  
  
kimi wa tada sukoshi ima wa obieteiru dake dakara  
  
nanimo iwanai de  
  
kimi wa tada sukoshi kanashimi no naka ni iru dake dakara  
  
saigo no toki no naka de inori o sasageru  
  
tsuki no mahou wa shalle a le rille  
  
amai koe de sasayaku kara  
  
mou ichido dake kanau kara  
  
te o tsunaide kimi to waraitai  
  
yume no naka de.  
  
kioku no naka de kitto mata aeru ne.  
  
kimi no egao ga torimodoseru nara  
  
hohoenda kimi ga iru nara  
  
kanashimi wa yasashisa ni kawaru yo  
  
'tooi kioku no mama de.' negai o komete  
  
tsuki no mahou wa shalle a le rille  
  
kimi ga namida o wasureru nara  
  
yasashisa ni furerareru nara  
  
kimi no soba de nemuritai  
  
tsuki no mahou ga kieru nara  
  
sayonara ga mata otozureru kara ima omoi ga tsutawaru nara  
  
te o tsunai de kimi to odoritai  
  
Hikari no naka e kaeru beki basho e  
  
Mata dokokade kimi to aeru kara"  
  
Chihiro's voice echoed throughout the large coliseum. This was her dream. To sing in front of millions and finally be heard. She wondered if Rei and Mika could hear. Could they hear the screams of happiness? Did they know that that song was for them? Did they know that she missed them? Chihiro blinked back her tears and waved to her fans. She stepped off the stage. It was over. The last concert of her tour.  
  
The seats were sold out across Japan. She sang with such passion, and such conviction, that she was easily a household name. Sen. No longer Chihiro. Chihiro was for her friends and Hikari. Sen was for those that hardly knew her. That was why she sang as someone else. Why she became someone else completely on stage.  
  
The clock struck Twelve.  
  
It was her seventeenth birthday.  
  
She tried not to be upset. This was the first birthday of Hikari's that she had missed. She wasn't going to make it home today. The next day, though, she and Hikari would spend together. She had somewhere to go first.  
  
She pulled up to the cemetery in the same yellow Echo as before. She climbed up the steep incline just as before. She crouched in front of the graves of her two best friends and cried. Just as she had before. The pain was smaller than it had been, but Chihiro was still upset. This time last year the three of them were laughing and having fun. They were lounging in the springtime sun and making jokes. Then Chihiro would go home to Hikari and Mika and Rei would spend their time together alone.  
  
Chihiro pulled her acoustic guitar off her back and sat cross-legged on the ground. She grabbed the choker from around her neck and began strumming chords with the triangular stone that Rei had given her. It was just the right shape of a guitar pick, and she hadn't had the heart to throw it away.  
  
"I miss you guys." She said, over the quiet tones of her music, "I wonder sometimes if you can hear me. If you can see me sing. I only do it for you. Someday I'll perform for you. I'll get to be on a stage in heaven somewhere and you'll see me play my guitar and sing." Chihiro smiled, "I'm seventeen today. That means Hikari's six. She's growing up so fast. Can you believe it? They accelerated her a year, Rei. She's in second grade now. She's the youngest in her class. She's so small."  
  
She stopped strumming her guitar when the first raindrops fell. She stood up then, letting the heavenly tears flow down her hair and her face and her body. The storm was warm and comforting, telling her that everything would be all right, and that she could move on. She pulled a second necklace from under her shirt and held it between her fingers. It was a small golden ring. She kept it with her always so that if she ever saw Rei again, she could return it. She never got the chance, so she wasn't going to pass another up.  
  
She got back into her car and drove home. Home was a large penthouse apartment. It was bare, but it was more welcoming than the home her parents provided. It was at the top floor of the complex, and Chihiro had to ride the elevator all the way to the top, often getting stopped by fans or friendly neighbors.  
  
She stumbled through her door and pulled a warm blanket around her. She cuddled onto her couch and flicked on the Television. News channels were reporting accidents and sports scores, and Chihiro ignored them. They simply didn't interest her. She was dozing off when the phone rang.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"What do you mean you don't know what happened?" Chihiro screamed at the officer. She was standing in the pouring rain next to the wreckage of her parents' luxurious Audi. The sun was lowering in the sky.  
  
"She's perfectly fine. The paramedics already examined her. Your father and mother, however, were badly injured. They were flown to a bigger hospital in Kyoto. You need to take your sister home with you, otherwise, we'll find a foster care center for her to stay at."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"I don't know that yet, but judging from the looks of them, it could be for a long period of time. It will take at least six months for them to heal."  
  
"Okay. I'll take her with me." Chihiro said. Her parents were in a car accident. They were badly hurt. Hikari was standing next to a tall oak tree among a small collection of miniscule houses. Chihiro looked down the beaten road.  
  
It was that forest.  
  
""Kari! Come here with me, baby." Chihiro called to her sister and grabbed her when she was close enough. Chihiro hugged her sister as hard as she could. She began to cry.  
  
"Chi! What's wrong?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Were you wearing your seatbelt, Hikari? Why aren't you hurt? You should be dead right now!" Chihiro said. Her voice was barely above a whisper, "Why are you okay when mom and dad aren't. The impact of the crash should have killed someone as small as you." Hikari breathed sharply and wrenched herself from Chihiro's grasp. She took off down the dirt road.  
  
"Hikari!" Chihiro called. A hand grabbed her arm.  
  
"Miss Ogino, it's okay for you to take your sister home with you. We'll be in contact with you soon." Chihiro nodded, in a hurry to catch Hikari, but was stopped again, "One more thing, can I have your autograph?" Chihiro stopped.  
  
"My little sister just ran off into the woods by herself, and you want an autograph?" Chihiro ran away from him, ignoring his calls.  
  
"How about a date? I don't see a ring on your finger! You're known for being single, right?"  
  
Chihiro sprinted through the forest. The haunt of her childhood. She had to get to Hikari. She could hear muffled sobs up ahead and watched as her sister, the only thing left in her life ran through the bright red tunnel into the Mahou no Sekai. Chihiro stopped dead in her tracks. Hikari was gone. She had gone into the meadow. Chihiro had nothing left.  
  
Chihiro's feet moved of their own accord. They took her through the tunnel and into the train station. Hikari wasn't there. The sun was beginning to set. Chihiro could see lights up ahead and chose to run toward them. Hikari had to be there. She ran down the front of the station and through the meadow.  
  
The water rushed in upon her in seconds. It swirled around her ankles and dragged her under its dark sapphire surface. Chihiro fought the current, hoping to save herself. She had to get to Hikari. She swam toward the lights to no avail. The water was too strong. Her limbs went stiff from exhaustion. She fell beneath the water's surface.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Chihiro felt like she had been stabbed repeatedly with a blunt knife. She was shaking with pain and cold. She rolled to her stomach and vomited water. A soft crooning voice sounded in her ears, and a comforting hand gently stroked her back. Chihiro sat back on her haunches. She calmly stiffened her body.  
  
She grabbed the unknown person's arm and flipped him over her shoulders to the ground.  
  
The boy had the greenest eyes she'd ever seen.  
  
He only smiled when her eyes widened. She was disappearing. She screamed with all of her might. He covered his ears and winced. Then he grabbed her arms and held them softly at her side. He pulled a small berry from his pocket and offered it to her.  
  
"Eat this. It will make you solid again." He said. His voice was deep, but it was smooth as the water's surface. Cautiously, she took what she had been offered and ate the small fruit. She quickly solidified, "There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked. She shook her head, "What do I call you?" he asked.  
  
"Sen." She said. He frowned slightly, "Have you seen a little girl. She's seven years old and I followed her through this tunnel. I have to find her."  
  
"No. I haven't seen anyone other than you." He said and fingered her necklace, "Come with me Sen." She followed, speaking the entire way.  
  
"Please, help me find her. She's just a little girl, you can't leave her alone in a place like this." Chihiro gave a yelp of surprise when a dark shadow passed by her legs. She latched onto the boy's arm and walked slowly behind him.  
  
"The Mahou no Sekai is no place for a human. I'll have to hide you and send you home tomorrow. You'll be spending the night in my quarters." Chihiro nodded faintly.  
  
"Who are you, exactly?" She asked.  
  
"Haku. My name is Haku." She smiled.  
  
"Haku. That's one of my favorite names. I never knew why, it just sounds so pretty." She said and blushed slightly when he raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. They came upon a large wooden bridge and Chihiro gasped when she read the title above the large doors. Aburaya. The bathhouse of the spirits.  
  
"When we step onto the bridge, take a deep breath and hold it. If you breathe on the bridge, my spell will break, and you will become visible. It might be best for you to close your eyes and concentrate only on the sound of my voice. That way, no surprises." Chihiro nodded and did as she was told. She concentrated on every word that he spoke. He greeted fellow spirits and the workers of the bathhouse, taking time to whisper comforting words under his breath to her. Eventually they made it across and Chihiro took a breath of relief. She held onto his arm and they made their way into the bathhouse together.  
  
They went up a series of elevators until they reached a small wooden staircase. Haku climbed behind Chihiro am studied her carefully. She had grown older and prettier. Her eyes still held the same glint of mischief and kindness, but she didn't have any idea who he was. She wanted to be called Sen. He didn't think Sen pretty enough for her, but complied anyway. He couldn't give himself away. He couldn't tell her that he knew her.  
  
They went into his room and he pulled out an extra futon for her to sleep upon. He pulled a cord in the far corner by the window and turned to his guest.  
  
"There is a bathroom through that door there. If you would like to shower you may. I am sending for some clothes. I must go and attend to my business, but I will return by morning." He said. There was a sharp knock at the door. Haku answered it and gave directions to the person on the other side. Chihiro walked to the balcony and looked out at the night.  
  
"Do you need anything to eat, Sen?" Haku asked, walking up behind her.  
  
"No thank you. Will you ask around for my sister? She goes by the name Hikari." Haku smiled and nodded. He excused himself and left. Chihiro opened the door adjoining the main bedchamber and took a quick shower. The sound of the door knocking caught her by surprise. She wrapped a towel around herself, pulled the door open swiftly and gasped.  
  
Mika was standing before her, good as new.  
  
A/N: Aha! That one's done! And look! I didn't kill anybody, and Haku's in there. I hope you liked it, let me know how you feel! I am going to try to get one more out by Thursday.  
  
The song, U + K is Gackt's insanely happy, dancing kitty song! Go Gackt! Lyrics are below. This one's really good! Once again, I don't own it or the SA characters. I'm just borrowing them.  
  
U + K  
  
So.  
  
Don't say anything  
  
You're just a little bit frightened now so  
  
Don't say anything  
  
You're just a little bit in grief now so  
  
In the last act, offer your prayers  
  
The magic of the moon is. shalle a le rille  
  
Because we whisper in sugary voices  
  
If just one more wish comes true  
  
I want to join hands with you and laugh  
  
Inside of the dream.  
  
Inside of the memory, we'll definitely meet again.  
  
If you can regain your smile  
  
If your laughing self returns  
  
Sadness will turn to kindness  
  
"As that far off memory was." with all your desires  
  
The magic of the moon is. shalle a le rille  
  
If you can forget your tears  
  
If you can touch your kindness  
  
I want to sleep near you  
  
If the magic of the moon vanishes  
  
Because good-byes are visited again  
  
If we can follow our feelings right now  
  
I want to join hands with you and dance  
  
Inside of the light, the place we should return to,  
  
Because I'll meet you again somewhere 


	5. Tsuki no Uta

kagayaita masshiro na T shatsu mizu shibuki ni ukabu niji bonyari to mitsumeteru sora o ikutsu mono kaze ga asobu nannimonai koto ga futari dake no shiawase datta  
  
dare yori mo fukaku kokoro made oborete ima mo kono basho de kimi dake o mitsumete nido to modoranai yume naraba kowashite wasurarenakute mou ichido aitai  
  
shikirou kasanete kimi no kage, hiroiatsume  
  
tokei no hari o tometa mama de machitsuzukeru  
  
nemurenai yoru mo, tameiki no asa mo kimi no daisuki na tsuki no uta o  
  
itsu kara ka tooku, karada made hanarete ima wa kono basho ni boku dake o nokoshite zutto kawaranai futari da to shinjita ano koro no you ni mou ichido, aishita  
  
The Looking-Glass Chapter 5 Tsuki no Uta  
  
Mika sighed deeply. How was she going to explaing this to Chihiro? She had been dead for a year. Her friend just couldn't let go. This, of course was perfectly understandable, but as Chihiro stood in front of her, pale and small, Mika knew that there would be much explaining to do.  
  
"Chihiro, I'm so sorry." Mika breathed. If there was anything she could do for her friend, it was apologize. She was to be sorry for the fight, sorry for leaving, sorry for placing herself above their friendship. Chihiro dropped to her knees and started sobbing. The towel that was wrapped tightly around her became taut. Mika kneeled to her friend's side.  
  
"Mika, I thought you had died. I even saw your body. What are you doing here?" Chihiro coughed out between sobs.  
  
"Chi, I am dead. You are in the Mahou no Sekai. The land of the spirits. This is where the souls of the dead reside. I am no longer human, I am a fox spirit." Mika whispered softly to her friend, expecting Chihiro to become even more hysterical.  
  
But, Chihiro seemed to take it rather well.  
  
"You mean this is Heaven? You're safe? I thought you would have been wandering. I couldn't bear not being able to help you. I was so sad! Thank God you're alright!" Chihiro grabbed Mika into a tight hug. Mika happily returned it.  
  
"Alright, Sen. We'll catch up in the morning. Yubaba will miss me if I am gone any longer. We've got to hide you, you know. Humans aren't welcomed here." With a wink, Mika gave the clothes to Chihiro and left the room.  
  
She walked down the wooden stairs to report to her boss.  
  
"Well, Haku, you've got your work cut out for you. She doesn't remember a thing. I've got to go and meet Rei now. Have fun!" Mika said and then slid by a river spirit who carefully masked his sadness. Nobody would ever see him cry.  
  
A scream erupted from one of the larger tubs.  
  
One of the workers was standing near the edge of the tub, cautiously peering in, "Master Haku! There's a.. human in there!" she screeched. Haku's eyes widened in fear. It couldn't be Chihiro. She was safe in his room. He looked into the tub, and there in the bottom was a small girl, huddled into a little ball, trying her very best not to cry. Haku turned to the bath workers.  
  
"Take this guest to another tub. I want all of you to get back to work and leave this mess to me." The other all scrambled back to their jobs. Haku jumped into the tub next to the small girl.  
  
"Hello." He said, "What's your name?" The little creature sniffed and looked at him with her puffy brown eyes.  
  
"Hi-hikari. My name is Hikari. I don't know where I am. My mummy and daddy are hurt very badly and I ran away from my sister."  
  
"Well, Hikari, my name is Kohaku. I'll let you call me Haku if you would like. I can help you find your way, but you'll have to help me out as well. You see, there's a witch here named Yubaba, and she'll turn you to a pig if you don't have a job. Listen to me Hikari, I am going to give you some instructions." Haku placed his fingers to Hikari's forehead and spoke once more. The pictures appeared in Hikari's mind, and she knew exactly what to do, "Once you leave this stall, go left until you reach the elevator. Ride it to the top. It will not go high enough, so you'll have to find the other one. It's directly behind the first. Once you get into the other elevator, you have to ride it to the topmost floor. That's where Yubaba lives. Ask her for a job, and if she refuses, keep asking. If you don't have work, you'll be turned into a pig and eaten." HIkari sniffed in the last of her tears and got up. She smiled to Haku.  
  
"Thanks Haku, I'm glad you were here. You made me feel a lot better."  
  
"Hikari, remember, your sister, no matter how mad she might be at you, for whatever reason, she still loves you." Hikari only smiled before climbing out of the tub and exiting the stall. Haku sat there for a long time and thought of how he was to tell Chihiro about her sister's fate.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Hikari rode the elevators to the top of the large bath house and stepped out into a large foyer. It was decorated in deep oak and coloured a deep crimson. The large double doors at the end of the hall loomed dangerously in front of her, and Hikari meekly approached them. The door knocker had large eyes, and an enormous nose, but Hikari pinched it and knocked anyway.  
  
The doors swung open.  
  
Hikari walked slowly into the next room and knocked on the next door. It opened. The rooms kept continuing until Hikari finally smelled the scent of burning wood. An old lady was seated at a desk, scribbling on a note card.  
  
"What are you doing in here, human? You don't belong. Leave." The witch said without looking up from her work. Hikari took a deep breath, and in the biggest voice she could muster, she said:  
  
"Could you please give me a job?"  
  
Flights below, Chihiro woke from her slumber. Hikari. Something was wrong with Hikari. She dashed out the door of Haku's room and up the wooden stairs. She climbed flights and flights until she reached the topmost floor. She threw open door after door until she reached the office. The old witch was glaring at her sister.  
  
"Who are you?" The old woman bellowed.  
  
"S-sen." Chihiro said, putting herself between Hikari and the monster.  
  
"Sen. It has been a while. You're all grown up, aren't you? You know you shouldn't be here. Who helped you, dear? Tell me, why didn't I know you were here?" Chihiro looked at Yubaba with malice.  
  
"Do not harm my sister. I will work in her place."  
  
"You? Work here? What can you do for me, Sen? Why should I hire you? You're worthless, never done a day's labour in your life."  
  
"No. I haven't. However, a six-year-old will be no help to you, and at least I can learn. I am strong. I frequently exercise. Take me in her place."  
  
"I have all of the workers I need."  
  
"I can sing."  
  
"You can, can you? Well, so can the child. She asked for the job, and if I am in the market for entertainment, she will be the first to fill the position."  
  
"I am the most popular recording artist in Japan. You'd be getting the best, not a little girl. I swear to you, Yubaba, I will do my duty well."  
  
"As you wish. Sign your name away, and you may remain under contract. If the child is to be staying as well, she will have to work. Cleaning and other chores. She, however, will be free to leave at any time. You are to stay until your contract is void. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes." Chihiro handed the witch the completed contract and jumped when Haku stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"You wanted to speak with me, Yubaba?"  
  
"Wes, show these two humans to their posts. The younger will be sleeping with the yunas, but Sen, she will have her own private quarters. A star only gets the best."  
  
Haku looked crestfallen. Chihiro had sold her life to the devil. She would never return now. Yubaba had complete comtrol of her.  
  
A/N:  
  
Sorry it's been so long, I've had to switch computers a few times, but things are finally functioning now, and I should be okay. Thanks for reading and being patient with me. The song is Tsuki no Uta by Gackt-san. The translation is below.  
  
SLA.  
  
A shining, pure white T-shirt A rainbow floating in a spray of water Gazing thoughtfully at the sky The wind plays with countless things Nothingness was our own happiness  
  
More deeply than anyone else, I even give my heart to you Even now right here, I'm only gazing at you If it's a dream that I cannot return to once more, I'll destroy it You're unforgettable, I want to see you once more  
  
The mirages pile up Your shadows, I collect them  
  
I keep waiting for you though the hands of my watch have stopped  
  
On sleepless nights, and on mornings when you have to sigh There's your beloved song of the moon  
  
Some time far away, when even our bodies are left behind Right now right here, only I remain I believed we'd always be together unchanging Once more, like I did at that time, I want to love you 


	6. Hoshi no Suna

fukaku shizumari kaeru... tsutsumikomareta sora to karada o kogasu  
  
taiyou, anata ga kieteiku  
  
nani o motome samayou no? hitorikiri no boku wa...  
  
sameta hitomi no oku de nikushimi o dakishimenagara  
  
jibun o urandemo itami wa kie wa shinai  
  
eien ni ikiru kanashimi o dakishimete  
  
kieta kimi o omoitsuzukeru koto shika dekinakute  
  
boku no kawaru koto no nai kimi e no omoi wa  
  
fukaku fukaku ima mo,  
  
sou...aishiteiru  
  
tsuki akari ni terasarete kuchizusanda kimi no na mo kaze ni sarawarete kieta  
  
yoake ni hohoemu kimi ga oshietekureta ano uta o utaitsuzuke  
  
hoshizora ni kaeru namida o kazoeteta  
  
nando mo nando mo tada kurikaeshiteita yoru  
  
aa, fukaku fukaku ima mo  
  
sou...aishiteiru  
  
The LookingGlass  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Hoshi no Suna  
  
"What were you thinking?!" Haku's face was red with fury and his voice echoed through the halls of the Aburaya. Chihiro was calmly folding her clothing, moving herself into her own room. Ignoring Haku, she walked out the door of his room. "Chihiro! You listen to me! Go home! Stay out of here."  
  
"I will not let Hikari be taken advantage of. I will stay here, and she will return home. As soon as possible. I need to let her have time to say goodbye to Rei." Chihiro said calmly, her back to the angered river spirit.  
  
"You didn't need to do that. I would have taken care of her. Of both of you."  
  
"Why? Why do you have to watch over her? She's my sister. I'll have nothing happen to her. She's all I've got left. What would you understand of love?" Chihiro stalked out of the room. Her own quarters were only a few doors down, but she couldn't stand to be in the same room as him anymore.  
  
Haku stared at the carpet. His hands clenched at his sides as he blinked back his tears. What would you understand of love? He repeated it over and over again in his mind. What would he understand? He had loved once, but it was not meant to be. The Chihiro he knew taught him to be kind and gentle. This Chihiro was cold. She knew abandon, what it was like to be loved and forgotten. What would he understand of love? He understood the love of two sisters; he understood impossible romance. He was no stranger to love.  
  
Chihiro would learn this, in time.  
  
The morning sun rose high into the air, and Chihiro found herself becoming drowsy. Hikari was safely sleeping with Mika, so Chihiro could safely lie down with the rest of the Bathhouse. She rested in her warm bed, but sleep would not take her.  
  
Haku was lying awake in his own bed. Though it was time for him to sleep, the events of the day still troubled him. The door to his room creaked slowly. He rolled onto his side, turning away from the intruder's presence. He feigned sleep.  
  
Chihiro walked slowly to Haku's bed and sat at the edges. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to tear, "Haku," she said, "I know you're sleeping, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I had no right to yell at you today. It's just, sometimes I feel like there are parts of me missing. I feel that if I put myself together, I'll be able to be happy again. I feel that there's a part of me I've forgotten—"  
  
"The mind never completely forgets," the voice of the river spirit interrupted Chihiro's rant, "It just takes effort to remember." Chihiro's tears came from her eyes, and flowed down her face in streams. She cupped her face in her hands and sobbed quietly.  
  
"I'm so scared. I don't know what to do." Haku sat up slowly in his bed. He turned his body to face hers and held her close to him. Her back rested lightly on his chest.  
  
"It's okay now. I can get you out of here. I will save you Chihiro."  
  
"Haku." She started, "How do you know my name? You've been calling me Chihiro since I arrived here."  
  
"I don't know. My own name is difficult for me to remember, but yours, I just know." She nodded, not completely understanding.  
  
"Why can't you remember your name?"  
  
"A girl I knew. She took it with her when she left me. Years ago."  
  
The sun set below the horizon, and Haku slept peacefully. The last burning embers of the day broke his deep sleep. He rolled onto his side and smiled slightly. Chihiro was next to him, his old work clothes hanging loosely on her small frame. Haku stood up slowly, careful not to wake her. He made his way toward his bathroom, and opened the door. He smiled to himself as he stepped into his shower.  
  
Chihiro was broken. There was nothing for her to do but live her life day by day. Haku could see the devastation she lived with, even through her smile. Yes, the little girl he knew was all grown up. She had become a beautiful woman. The question, one that he had been asking himself since the day she left.  
  
Could he once again find himself in her?  
  
Yes. He knew that now. He loved her. Her soul may have been broken, but he could fix it. He could help her remember.  
  
The cool water fell upon his face as he smiled. Tonight he would hear her sing.  
  
"It all becomes completely quiet... from the enwrapped sky and the sun  
that scorches the body, you are vanishing  
  
What do you wander, searching for? As for myself, all alone..."  
  
Chihiro's melancholy voice soared through the impromptu stadium at the Aburaya. Her trusty acoustic guitar was placed on her lap, and her own tight-fit jeans had replaced Haku's baggy clothing. She hadn't exactly been prepared to sign a lifelong contract and live forever on this side of the river. Her clothing was limited to the one outfit she was in now, and she refused to wear work clothes for her show.  
  
Inside of cold eyes that are embracing hatred  
  
Even if you despise yourself, the pain will not vanish  
  
Embrace the eternal sadness  
  
She sang songs that rang true deep in her heart. She was sad and lonely. Searching endlessly for the man that had taken her heart from her. He hadn't physically stolen it, of course, but Hikari had explained it perfectly, "He's the one you're meant for. The other half to your soul. None of the others are worth anything. You only want to find him." So she had embraced the sadness, knowing that someday her sadness would end.  
  
I can only keep remembering you who disappeared  
  
My unchanging feelings towards you  
  
Deeply deeply even now,  
  
Yes...I love you  
  
Hikari was there now. Right in front. Chihiro smiled and winked at her little sister. Only one more night. One more night, and Hikari would be sent home. The band could care for her. Mum and dad would be better soon. Hikari couldn't be allowed to stay here anymore. She had a life to live.  
  
Illuminated by the moonlight, the wind even snatches away your name that I sing to myself  
  
A tear threatened to break through. Rei and Mika stood in the doorway, beaming at her. They looked so happy. Chihiro had always wanted them to see her sing. It was a dream come true.  
  
I keep singing that song that you taught me, smiling in the dawn  
  
We were counting the tears that returned to the starry sky  
  
That night just repeated over and over again  
  
Ahh, deeply deeply even now  
  
Yes...I love you  
  
And then there was Haku. He stood just behind Rei and Mika. His eyes seemed cloudy. He looked proud. Chihiro blushed slightly. As her voice sang the last phrase of her song, "Sou... Aishiteiru." Her eyes had been locked in a gaze with Haku's. He reminded her of someone she used to know. She strained to think of where she knew him from, but the picture evaded her memory.  
  
She was shaken from her reverie by the sound of applause. She looked to the crowd of strange creatures—spirits and smiled broadly. She loved her work. She loved to see what joy it brought others. She shouted a thank you before excusing herself from the stage. Her show was over, and it was time for her to return to her bedroom for some well-deserved rest.  
  
She blushed when she thought of the night before. She hadn't originally intended to stay overnight with Haku. He made her feel comfortable. Although Rei and Mika were also in this land, Chihiro found it hard to find solace in them. Haku was her knight in shining armor. He had tried to protect her from the witch Yubaba. She doubted Mika or Rei would have the strength or the will to do such a thing. For that she held him in the highest of regard.  
  
She stayed not because he protected her, however. She stayed because she knew that he was the key to her memories.  
  
Later that night, when the guests had been safely tucked into bed, Chihiro sat on the balcony overlooking the sea. The night sky was turning white, with the breaking dawn. Chihiro sat cross-legged, her eyes dreamy and distant, plucking absently on the strings of her guitar with the pick-like stone she wore around her neck.  
  
"Here, I swiped this for you to eat."  
  
Chihiro snapped to attention. Rei sat beside her, a fluffy dumpling in his extended hand. She smiled slightly before setting her guitar aside and accepting her friend's gift. "Thank you, Rin." She said absent-mindedly as she bit into the pastry. Rei raised an eyebrow at her misuse of his name, but said nothing.  
  
"You're welcome. You sounded wonderful tonight. You can really play that thing."  
  
"Thank you." Chihiro said quietly. She looked into horizon, comfortable in the silence. For years she had thought of a million things to say to Rei when she saw him again, but now she couldn't begin. "Rei." She said, "I want you to know that I don't hate you. I tried to hate you when you left. I wanted to be mad because you left Hikari, you left her with me. I'm not good enough to take care of her myself. I'm not as smart as you. But I couldn't even dislike you. I know why you left. She was your world. I was happy for you."  
  
Rei said nothing in reply. His gaze was directed at the sky in front of him.  
  
"I think you should take this back. I have no idea what you and Mika are to one another anymore, but I think that if you still love her, then you should give it to her." Chihiro stood up, but not before placing the velvet box containing Mika's engagement ring next to Rei's hand.  
  
Chihiro walked away. She left the bathhouse and crossed the bridge. She found the place where the river had dried itself out and sat, knees to her chest.  
  
Tomorrow, Hikari would leave her forever.  
  
A/N: Thanks for reading. More to come soon. Sorry for the delay. The song in the chapter is the song at the beginning of the chapter. And before anyone says anything, yes I know the song Hoshi no Suna (again bay Gackt) is actually played on the piano. After careful consideration, however, I decided that it could be adapted to the guitar if the situation called for it. And it did.  
  
Don't forget to review! Let me know what you think!  
  
SLA 


	7. Kono Daremo Inai Heya De

You call out to me in the quiet  
When I looked back you were always near  
You were just... shy  
I touch you with my fingertips  
  
Chihiro was still curled up on the side of the hill that overlooked the dried riverbed. The daylight burned her eyes, so she tucked her chin to her chest and wrapped her arms around her hair. The wind was blowing softly and the grass tickled her shoeless feet. She didn't hear the rustling of the grass as he walked up behind her. In fact, her senses were overcome by her sense of misery.  
  
Haku slowly walked up behind Chihiro and watched her sulk. He knew that she was going to send her sister away, and that it crushed her heart. Secretly Haku was glad that Chihiro had signed a contract. She would be with him forever. He sat down behind her, his long legs straddling her curled body, and he reached his arms forward to grab her into a hug.  
  
Chihiro gave a short cry of surprise before she realized exactly who her captor was. In Haku's embrace, as embarrassing as it was to admit it, was the most comfortable place for her to be. In his arms Hikari wasn't leaving, Mika and Rei were living, and the void in her heart was filled. She leaned into his chest and let out a sigh.  
  
"Chihiro." Haku started, his breath tickling her ear. She grunted a response, her eyes still close but her face to the horizon, "I'll get you back to her. She may leave now, but we will set you free of Yubaba's contract." Chihiro only nodded.  
  
A comfortable silence overtook them.  
  
"Haku." Chihiro started, "Why do you help me so much?"  
  
The beginning is always sudden  
On the street corner, I loved you  
You were just... smiling  
Looking at me mysteriously  
  
Haku thought for a moment. Chihiro slowly turned around so that she was facing him. She gazed into his sea green eyes and knew that she had seen them before.  
  
"Haku. Why do I feel like I've known you forever?"  
  
"Do you ever feel as though there was something missing in your life? That there was something to change you, but you just can't remember?" Chihiro's eyes clouded over.  
  
"Remember Kamajii, remember Rin and Zeniba. Chihiro, remember me." He grabbed her hands in his and made the boldest move of his lifetime. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to those of the girl, of the woman, he had been in love with since she had stumbled into his river all those years ago.  
  
When I ran across your broken, slender body  
Not even traces of your gentle smiling face were left behind  
Because if I wake up it'll take time to speak about the reason for my  
tears  
  
Chihiro's mind raced. She saw the Aburaya through a child's eyes. She saw a girl with long brown hair and an old man walking on six legs. She saw Yubaba's kind twin sister. And then she saw the most beautiful creature she had ever seen in her short, human life. It was a silver dragon with a deep green mane and sea green eyes. Her own eyes welled up with tears.  
  
"Kohaku." She whispered, as she wrapped her arms around the river spirit and kissed him back with an enthusiasm that knocked both of them over. Her heart was skipping in her chest. She giggled quietly and she released his lips and looked into his face.  
  
"I remember now." She said. She said it calmly, though her smiling face and eyes deceived her. Kohaku grabbed her and held her tightly.  
  
"I'm never letting you go again." He whispered into her hair. Chihiro smiled and once again kissed the boy she had missed for so long.  
  
Why in this empty room  
Is my body shaking?  
Tell me...  
  
Chihiro sang to the crowd once again. She had taken some of Kohaku's clothing and sewn it to fit her slender body. The show tonight would be the last her little sister would see. Hikari was going home, and although it saddened her Chihiro knew that her sister would be happier back in the land of the living, just as Chihiro had found her heart in the Mahou no Sekai.  
  
Kohaku watched her from the back of the room. He had waited so long for her return. He knew she had to go back to her world, but this time it would be different. This time she would remember. Kohaku's eyes welled up with sadness. He wanted to follow, but knew that he couldn't. A spirit could not survive in the human world without a body. His river had been filled in, he could never return.  
  
In that small voice that is starting to completely disappear  
I can't forget you, calling our my name  
If I turn around, it's just like that time and you're still here...  
  
Chihiro watched Kohaku. She knew she would have to leave him, because Hikari could not be alone. She had a life and responsibility, and no matter how much she wanted that responsibility taken from her, she couldn't allow herself to give up. Her life wasn't much, but it was worth living.  
  
He had promised to get her out, but why did she wish he hadn't?  
  
Why in this empty room  
Is my body shaking?  
Tell me...  
  
She forced herself to look away from him. Instead she found the two friends that had left her and taken her life with them. Mika and Rei were smiling and Rei was lazily drawing circles on Mika's outstretched palm. Chihiro noted the shining ring on Mika's finger and was genuinely glad that they were finally together. She hadn't spent much time with them since she had arrived, but she knew that they were at peace and didn't need her intervention. They would always be her best friends, but they didn't need her anymore.  
  
Why in this empty room  
Are the tears overflowing?  
Tell me...  
  
She felt the tears overflow in her eyes. She knew now that she had to leave. She had been trying to repress the thought since she first saw Haku's deep eyes. For seven years she had unknowingly pined for him and she knew she would never love another.  
  
She looked into his eyes.  
  
Once more I want to hold you...  
  
Chihiro's show was a success. She finished her set for the night and proceeded to her room to change into work clothing. The familiar Aburaya apron fastened around her body, and the peach working outfit securely in place, Chihiro went to report for duty. She climbed down the stairs of her rooming quarters and went to meet the foreman. Instead of the frog she had expected, a young woman was in charge.  
  
"Rin!" Chihiro exclaimed as she grabbed her old friend into a hug.  
  
"Sen! It's so good to see you! Haku told me you were back, and there is a child here that looks painfully familiar. Daughter?"  
  
"No. Sister. I'm too young to have children."  
  
"Well, with the way time goes here, you never know. You look so grown up, Sen. So beautiful." Chihiro smiled and hugged her friend once more. Rin set her up with her jobs for the evening and Chihiro set to work.  
  
The night wore on and the first rays of sunlight over the horizon made Chihiro's heart hang. She sat by the entrance to the Bathhouse, and, as expected, Hikari came bounding up to her.  
  
"Chi! You sounded so pretty tonight! I love that song!" The little girl said, bringing Chihiro into a tight hug at the waist. Chihiro smiled slightly and put a hand atop her little sister's head.  
  
"Let's go for a walk, Hikari." Chihiro said to her sister and then lead her across the bridge and into the city.  
  
"When I was ten years old, mum and dad brought me into this town thinking it was an abandoned amusement park. They accidentally ate the food for the spirits and turned into pigs. Haku and Rin and the Boiler man—"  
  
"You mean Kamajii?"  
  
"Yes, Kamajii. They helped me save mom and dad from Yubaba's spell and helped me get back home. I forgot that the whole thing happened until just this afternoon. After I remembered, I hated myself for saving mum and dad. I thought it would have been better if I had just stayed here with Haku all along. But then I realized that leaving here was the best thing I'd ever done."  
  
"Why?" Hikari asked. Chihiro grabbed her sister and laughed.  
  
"Because then I'd have a little piglet to watch over instead of a little sister." Hikari goggled and Chihiro held her close.  
  
"It's time for you to go home, Kari. Go home and call Kenji. He'll watch you till I get back. Remember. Call Kenji." Chihiro hugged Hikari one last time before pushing her lightly down the steps. Hikari ran toward the train station quickly as Chihiro called after her.  
  
"Don't look back!"  
  
A/n: I don't own Spirited Away! - 


End file.
